Panthers know the stakes are high in Sunday's game at Saints

Carolina's defense and offense struggled in first meeting, a 34-13 home loss in Week 3

Richard Walker Gazette staff JRWalk22

CHARLOTTE - There was no coachspeak from Ron Rivera about Sunday's 4:25 p.m. Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints game for the lead in the NFC South Division.

"It is one game at a time but there's a lot that comes with this," Rivera said at his Monday news conference. "I'm going to be honest when we get together on Wednesday and I do my introduction of our opponent. That's what I'm going to talk about. I'm not going to hide from it, I'm going to tell them the truth. 'Guys, there's a lot riding on this.' We know this."

Can Charlotte avenge the 34-13 beatdown the Saints administered to them on Sept. 24 in their first meeting this season?

History would seem to shine on the Panthers, who have played New Orleans twice a season ever since they were an expansion team in 1995: Only four times have the Saints swept the Panthers - 2000, 2001, 2010 and 2011.

When the teams first met this season, Carolina was unbeaten and New Orleans was winless.

And while the defeat sent the Panthers in a tailspin as they would lose three of five games to fall to 5-3 before the current three-game winning streak improved them to 8-3.

Meanwhile, New Orleans' (8-3) win over Carolina starting and eight-gmae winning streak that didn't end until last week's loss at the Los Angeles Rams.

In the Saints' Week 3 win that saw New Orleans post the most points allowed by the Carolina defense this season, the Panthers committed a co-season-high three turnovers; The Panthers also lost three turnovers in a 28-23 home loss to Philadelphia.

"There were some things that they did that we didn't handle well," Rivera said of the loss. "There were a lot of things that we missed in terms of our opportunities which created chances for them. And they took advantage of it. As we go back and look at it and map out our game plan, we have to be smart about how we think they're going to attack us."

The national focus entering that contest was a debate about how many NFL players would kneel for the pregame national anthem.

And after 12 Saints sat on the bench and one Panthers player (Julius Peppers) stayed in the tunnel during the national anthem, Carolina actually used a familiar formula to take an early lead.

The Panthers took the opening kickoff and drove 67 yards in 14 plays to set up a third-and-four play at the Saints 8. But Cameron Jordan sacked Cam Newton to stop the drive and bring on Graham Gano for a 32-yard field goal that gave Carolina its only lead of the game at 3-0.

New Orleans responded with a 13-play, 75-yard drive of its own that ended in the first of Drew Brees' three touchdown passes.

After the Panthers drove 45 yards in eight plays for another Gano field goal that pulled Carolina within 7-6, a pass interception and two punts ended the next three drives as the Saints roared ahead 24-6 early in the second half.

Even after a 3-yard Newton touchdown run with 1:18 left in the third quarter helped close the Panthers within 24-13, the Panthers next two drives ended in pass interceptions and backup Derek Anderson came on to direct Carolina's final two possessions.

"You always look at as much film as possible," Newton said of looking back at the Week 3 loss. "There's some things we can learn from that game that can help us."

One of the theories about Newton and the Panthers from earlier in the season appeared to be in play in that loss.

That is that Newton, because of his offseason shoulder surgery and because of changes in play-calling, was having his running attempts restricted.

Newton disputed that notion when asked if his recent success in the run game would help in this matchup since he wasn't "allowed" to run earlier this season.

"I won't say I wasn't allowed to run," said Newton, who had a season-low three rushing attempts in the New Orleans loss. "I'm just going to let the game come to me and try to dictate to the defense."

Like Rivera, Newton had to admit the significance of Sunday's game.

"Needless to say, we'll be ready to go," said Newton, who has 464 yards rushing and five touchdowns in 83 carries this season. "I don't have anything more to say about it. I know the guys in that (Panthers) locker room right now are chomping at the bit ready to prove ourselves as a team. This is a defining moment as a team that we need."

Richard Walker: 704-869-1841; twitter.com/jrwalk22

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